In our sixth  installment of the Deco-Stop series we go deep into the gaming verse with video games that focus on, and were inspired by the deep-sea. This second episode in our two part pop culture series features interviews with the creators behind SubROV and SOMA.  Both of these games are perennial favorites on our Discord chat server, and are often the focus of much discussion and even playthroughs. This is the episode we’ve all been waiting for!

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea! 

In our sixth  installment of the Deco-Stop series we go deep into the gaming verse with video games that focus on the deep-sea. This second episode in our two part pop culture series features interviews with the creators behind SubROV and SOMA.  Both of these games are perennial favorites on our Discord chat server, and are often the focus of much discussion and even playthroughs. 

In our part for this packed Deco-stop episode, Thom is thrilled to interview a member of the creative team behind one of his favorite games; SOMA. Join us as we talk with Thomas Grip about the creation of SOMA, its deep-sea inspired roots and the philosophical investigation of human consciousness encapsulated within the game play. 

While we don’t share news, or discord updates on our Deco-stop series you can always find loads of supporting information for deco-stop interviews on our website at www.deepseapod.com. 

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. We want to say a huge thank you to those patrons who have already pledged to support us:

Add Patrons Here

Check out our podcast merch here!

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

[email protected]

We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone!

https://www.speakpipe.com/deepseapodvoicemail

Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

BlueSky: @deepseapod.com

https://bsky.app/profile/deepseapod.com

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod

https://twitter.com/DeepSeaPod

Instagram: @deepsea_podcast

https://www.instagram.com/deepsea_podcast/

Alan - @Hadalbloke

https://twitter.com/Hadalbloke

Thom - @ThomLinley 

https://twitter.com/ThomLinley

Thom - @thom.linley 

https://www.instagram.com/thom.linley/

Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions

https://www.instagram.com/inkfishexpeditions/

Thom @thomaslinley.com

https://bsky.app/profile/thomaslinley.com

 Alan @hadalbloke

https://bsky.app/profile/hadalbloke.bsky.social

ONTOS reveal trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll4ZPxUzPhc

ONTOS gameplay trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXRJB73BDfM

Triple Click Episode: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/triple-click/somas-ai-horror-story-is-even-more-relevant-today/

Theme: Hadal Zone Express by Märvel

This is the short and punchy version of episode 70 that gets right to the science. If you would like to listen to the full episode, you can find it in the same feed.

This month on the Deep-Sea Podcast, we chat with Jason Rodriguez, a celebrity ROV pilot whose enthusiasm for all things science, ocean, and collaboration is deeply inspiring. This extra-packed episode is filled with Jason’s love for all things tech, problem-solving on the fly and being an expansive thinker. 

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. We want to say a huge thank you to those patrons who have already pledged to support us:

Vivek- Lays on the seabed fossilized for millions of years

Jem- Was perfectly preserved in a bottle of vodka

Check out our podcast merch here!

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

[email protected]

We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone!

https://www.speakpipe.com/deepseapodvoicemail

Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

BlueSky: @deepseapod.com

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod

Instagram: @deepsea_podcast

Alan - @Hadalbloke

Thom - @ThomLinley 

Thom - @thom.linley 

Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions

JRod - @tx_jrod

Thom @thomaslinley.com

 Alan @hadalbloke

Logo image: Courtesy of Jason Rodriguez

Theme: Hadal Zone Express by Märvel

This month on the Deep-Sea Podcast we chat with Jason Rodriguez, a celebrity ROV pilot whose enthusiasm for all things science, ocean, and collaboration are deeply inspiring. This extra packed episode is filled with Jason’s love for all things tech, problem solving on the fly and being an expansive thinker. 

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea! 

This month Alan reveals progress on his calico beard, and buys cheap vodka in bulk from a budget grocery store for his own personal cabinet of curiosities. Thom develops his own cologne; “Eau de Cusk Eel” and receives a blast from the past in the mail. We interview Jason Rodriguez, a celebrity ROV pilot whose enthusiasm for ocean science, and collaboration are deeply inspiring. Join us as we revel in his love for all things tech, problem solving on the fly and being an expansive thinker. 

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. We want to say a huge thank you to those patrons who have already pledged to support us:

Vivek- Lays on the seabed fossilized for millions of years

Jem- Was perfectly preserved in a bottle of vodka

Check out our podcast merch here!

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

[email protected]

We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone!

https://www.speakpipe.com/deepseapodvoicemail

Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

BlueSky: @deepseapod.com

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod

Instagram: @deepsea_podcast

Alan - @Hadalbloke

Thom - @ThomLinley 

Thom - @thom.linley 

Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions

Thom @thomaslinley.com

 Alan @hadalbloke

A submersible ride revealed a vast whale graveyard. And it holds more than just bones

Trump administration ditches plan to close a critical ocean monitoring system after furious bipartisan backlash

Scientists uncover a deep-sea coral kingdom almost the size of Vatican City

Deep-sea crust uncovers steady plutonium rain from ancient kilonova debris

Deep-sea denizens go years without food with clever biological fix | Reuters

Deep-sea megafauna co-opts microbial energy metabolism genes to withstand ultra-long starvation

Chlamydiae in the Environment - ScienceDirect

Tiny, blue Galápagos octopus identified as newfound species | CNN

A new species of Microeledone from Galápagos Islands and an amended diagnosis of the Megaleledonidae (Octopoda: Incirrata) | Zootaxa

Tiny teeth fossils reveal ancient origins of ocean’s most abundant deep-sea fish | Yale News

Expedition led by MBARI researchers reveals remarkable, and rare, form of deep-sea hydrothermal vents

Lost megalodon vertebrae resurface, confirming 80-foot size estimate

Deep-sea snails ride surface currents to reach distant hydrothermal vents

Gastropod shells record larval migration from deep-sea hydrothermal vents to the euphotic zone | Science Advances

Integrative taxonomy of new genera and species of giant foraminifera (Rhizaria: Foraminifera: Xenophyophoroidea) from the abyssal northwest Pacific reveals novel morphological complexity | Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society | Oxford Academic

JRod’s Instagram

@tx_jrod

A Day On The Abyssal Plain by siphonophora

2 Hours of Snailfish to Relax/Study To | Lofi Hip Hop | Monterey Bay Aquarium Krill Waves Radio

https://nzase.org.nz/category/resources/deep-sea-tinkerer-and-fish-zoologist-dr-thom-linley/

Deep-Sea and Space with Prof. Alan Jamieson on Failure to Launch

Song of the Month:Important Mermaid (Living Room Version)

Stephen Spencer (@_stephenspencer) • Instagram photos and videos

Logo image: Courtesy of Jason Rodriguez

Theme: Hadal Zone Express by Märvel

In this episode Thom gets his game on with the creative team behind the Deep-Sea inspired and supportive board game Endeavor: Deep-Sea. Join us for this behind-the-scenes chat with the developers of some deeply authentic and enjoyable deep-sea-inspired board games.  

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea! 

In our fifth instalment of the Deco Stop series, Thom gets his game on with Jarratt and Carl, the creative duo behind Endeavor: Deep-Sea, an award-winning deep-sea inspired board game that uses real-life research and events to craft a deeply authentic gameplay akin to real deep-sea research team experiences.

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. Check out our podcast merch here!

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

[email protected]

We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone!

https://www.speakpipe.com/deepseapodvoicemail

Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

BlueSky: @deepseapod.com

https://bsky.app/profile/deepseapod.com

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod

https://twitter.com/DeepSeaPod

Instagram: @deepsea_podcast

https://www.instagram.com/deepsea_podcast/

Alan - @Hadalbloke

https://twitter.com/Hadalbloke

Thom - @ThomLinley 

https://twitter.com/ThomLinley

Thom - @thom.linley 

https://www.instagram.com/thom.linley/

Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions

https://www.instagram.com/inkfishexpeditions/

Thom @thomaslinley.com

https://bsky.app/profile/thomaslinley.com

 Alan @hadalbloke

https://bsky.app/profile/hadalbloke.bsky.social

Endeavor: Deep Sea, Standard Edition $59USD | Burnt Island Games

Endeavor Deep Sea: Uncharted Waters by Burnt Island Games — Kickstarter

Wellycon

Discoveries from the deep – the Bounty Trough expedition | Te Papa’s Blog

Theme: Going Home by Harvey Jones

In this episode Thom gets his game on with the creative team behind two incredible Deep-Sea inspired board game: Finspan

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea! 

In our fifth instalment of the Deco Stop series, Thom gets his game on with the creative team behind two incredible Deep-Sea-inspired and supportive board games. We hear from Michael O'Connell, the co-designer of Finspan, who gives us an insider look into the development of this game for 'fish people' which features ocean zonation, the creation of your own personal eco-system and the midnight zone- filled with some of our favourite deep-sea cuties. 

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. Check out our podcast merch here!

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

[email protected]

We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone!

https://www.speakpipe.com/deepseapodvoicemail

Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

BlueSky: @deepseapod.com

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod

Instagram: @deepsea_podcast

Alan - @Hadalbloke

https://twitter.com/Hadalbloke

Thom - @ThomLinley 

https://twitter.com/ThomLinley

Thom - @thom.linley 

https://www.instagram.com/thom.linley/

Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions

https://www.instagram.com/inkfishexpeditions/

Thom @thomaslinley.com

https://bsky.app/profile/thomaslinley.com

 Alan @hadalbloke

https://bsky.app/profile/hadalbloke.bsky.social

Finspan – Stonemaier Games

Sharks & Reefs Expansion - Finspan

Anarchytabletop.bsky.social

Theme: Going Home by Harvey Jones

Here’s our fifth episode of The Deco-Stop; a deeper look into the humans behind deep-sea science and technology. We’ve done our science dive, and now it’s time to decompress, and discuss tales at sea, career paths and the social & political aspects of deep-sea science. We have gazed into the abyss, and now it's gazing back at us.

In this episode Thom gets his game on with the creative team behind two incredible Deep-Sea inspired and supportive board games: Finspan and Endeavor: Deep-Sea. Join us for this behind-the-scenes chat with the developers of some deeply authentic and enjoyable deep-sea-inspired board games.  

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea! 

In our fifth instalment of the Deco Stop series, Thom gets his game on with the creative team behind two incredible Deep-Sea-inspired and supportive board games. We hear from Michael O'Connell, the co-designer of Finspan, who gives us an insider look into the development of this game for 'fish people' which features ocean zonation, the creation of your own personal eco-system and the midnight zone- filled with some of our favourite deep-sea cuties. Thom also talks with Jarratt and Carl, the creative duo behind Endeavor: Deep-Sea, an award-winning deep-sea inspired board game that uses real-life research and events to craft a deeply authentic gameplay akin to real deep-sea research team experiences.

 As one of our infrequent in-person interviews, this one hums with personal connection, bringing another heartwarming Deco-Stop Episode all about the human aspect of the deep-sea community to you, our much-appreciated listeners. 

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. Check out our podcast merch here!

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

[email protected]

We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone!

https://www.speakpipe.com/deepseapodvoicemail

Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

BlueSky: @deepseapod.com

https://bsky.app/profile/deepseapod.com

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod

https://twitter.com/DeepSeaPod

Instagram: @deepsea_podcast

https://www.instagram.com/deepsea_podcast/

Alan - @Hadalbloke

https://twitter.com/Hadalbloke

Thom - @ThomLinley 

https://twitter.com/ThomLinley

Thom - @thom.linley 

https://www.instagram.com/thom.linley/

Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions

https://www.instagram.com/inkfishexpeditions/

Thom @thomaslinley.com

https://bsky.app/profile/thomaslinley.com

 Alan @hadalbloke

https://bsky.app/profile/hadalbloke.bsky.social

Finspan – Stonemaier Games

Sharks & Reefs Expansion - Finspan

Anarchytabletop.bsky.social

Endeavor: Deep Sea, Standard Edition $59USD | Burnt Island Games

Endeavor Deep Sea: Uncharted Waters by Burnt Island Games — Kickstarter

Wellycon

Discoveries from the deep – the Bounty Trough expedition | Te Papa’s Blog

Theme: Going Home by Harvey Jones

Join Professor Alan Jamieson, one of our venerated hosts, for a special cross over episode with our friends at Oceanography. This hadal trenches primer episode is a great overview for a first time deep-diver, taking you to the deepest parts of our favorite habitat. 

Ocean trenches are Earth’s deepest habitats—and they’re full of life. This episode is a guided dive into the hadal zone (6,000–11,000 meters), where tectonic plates create steep trenches that plunge toward the mantle. Learn what trenches are geologically, what conditions are like at full ocean depth (cold, pressure, darkness), and why the deep sea isn’t a single ecosystem—each trench is its own world. You’ll also get myth-busting on how “the abyss” shows up in pop culture, plus an inside look at the technology that makes trench science possible: multibeam mapping, baited landers, and human-occupied submersibles. Finally, we explore the big research questions scientists are asking about biodiversity, evolution, and connectivity across the deepest ocean.

Special thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for sponsoring this episode.

Episode Guest: Professor Alan Jamieson

Browse Professor Jamieson’s publications on Google Scholar

Visit the Hadal Zone Deep Sea Research Center and follow their work on Instagram

Episode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media website

Follow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia

Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese 

Cover art by Jomiro Eming

Theme music by Nela Ruiz

Join Dr. Thom Linley, one of our venerated hosts, for a special cross over episode with our friends at Oceanography. This deep-sea primer episode is a great overview for a first time deep-diver, taking you to the very heart of our favorite habitat. 

What is the deep sea — really? Deep-sea researcher Dr. Thom Linley (Curator of Fishes at Te Papa Tongarewa, National Museum of New Zealand) breaks down the deep ocean as a connected world with distinct zones, ecosystems, and rules — not one mysterious “blob.” From the bathyal and abyssal to the hadal trenches, this conversation maps what’s down there, how life survives crushing pressure and perpetual darkness, and why the deep sea functions as the engine under the hood of the entire planet.

This episode explores:

If you’re into thoughtful mythbusting, weird deep-ocean ecology, and the real logistics of studying a place humans can barely access — you’re in the right place.

Special thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for sponsoring this episode.

Episode Guests: Dr. Thomas Linley

Browse Dr. Linley’s publications on Google Scholar

Episode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media website

Follow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia

Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese 

Cover art by Jomiro Eming

Theme music by Nela Ruiz

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

This month on the Deep-Sea Podcast we are honored to host a 3 expert superfan session for one of our favorite little devils of the deep- Anglerfish. Join Thom as he chats with James Maclaine Senior fish curator at the Natural History Museum London and our own Andrew Stewart, curator of fishes at Te Papa, all about some of their favorite fishes, the ceratioid anglerfish (Ceratioidei) or deep-sea anglerfish. 

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea! 

This month Alan has been working on getting a Nova Canton Trough organism menu prepared while Thom has been appearing on and hosting numerous podcast episodes while planning a workshop, fostering kittens and taking a good look at the newest snailfish. 

For our interview we are honored to host a three expert superfan session for one of our favorite little devils of the deep- Anglerfish. Join Thom as he chats with James Maclaine Senior fish curator at the Natural History Museum London and our own Andrew Stewart, curator of fishes at Te Papa get together  about some of their favorite fishes, the ceratioid anglerfish or deep-sea anglerfish. 

Listen-in to back-stage fish curator chat all about the wide variety of Anglerfish shapes and sizes, lures and lights, feeding preferences, reproduction habits, feminist archetypes, game show personalities, and a memorable experience of "pass the football fish". Including Vantablack, pharyngeal teeth, Dreamers, Wonderfish, sideways anuses, love bites, and an epic battle resulting in both combatants being “locked together in death”, this episode will scratch your Anglerfish itch in the most satisfying way. 

We also hear from friend of the show Kat Bolstad with her professional opinion on the recently released giant cretaceous octopus paper, and Kat gives a lovely reading from Prema Arasu’s new book of poetry titled Vampire Squid. 

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. We want to say a huge thank you to those patrons who have already pledged to support us:

Lain Null, Семен Приймаченко, Prof.Bob-o-lo-po-lis, Jamie Morgan, Brent S, Ayla

Check out our podcast merch here!

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

[email protected]

We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone!

https://www.speakpipe.com/deepseapodvoicemail

Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

BlueSky: @deepseapod.com

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod

Instagram: @deepsea_podcast

Alan - @Hadalbloke

Thom - @ThomLinley 

Thom - @thom.linley 

Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions

Thom @thomaslinley.com

 Alan @hadalbloke

Image credit:

Image credit

Logo image: Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

This month on the Deep-Sea Podcast we are honored to host a 3 expert superfan session for one of our favorite little devils of the deep- Anglerfish. Join Thom as he chats with James Maclaine Senior fish curator at the Natural History Museum London and our own Andrew Stewart, curator of fishes at Te Papa, all about some of their favorite fishes, the ceratioid anglerfish (Ceratioidei) or deep-sea anglerfish. 

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea! 

This month Alan has been working on getting a Nova Canton Trough organism menu prepared while Thom has been appearing on and hosting numerous podcast episodes while planning a workshop, fostering kittens and taking a good look at the newest snailfish. 

For our interview we are honored to host a three expert superfan session for one of our favorite little devils of the deep- Anglerfish. Join Thom as he chats with James Maclaine Senior fish curator at the Natural History Museum London and our own Andrew Stewart, curator of fishes at Te Papa get together  about some of their favorite fishes, the ceratioid anglerfish or deep-sea anglerfish. 

Listen-in to back-stage fish curator chat all about the wide variety of Anglerfish shapes and sizes, lures and lights, feeding preferences, reproduction habits, feminist archetypes, game show personalities, and a memorable experience of "pass the football fish". Including Vantablack, pharyngeal teeth, Dreamers, Wonderfish, sideways anuses, love bites, and an epic battle resulting in both combatants being “locked together in death”, this episode will scratch your Anglerfish itch in the most satisfying way. 

We also hear from friend of the show Kat Bolstad with her professional opinion on the recently released giant cretaceous octopus paper, and Kat gives a lovely reading from Prema Arasu’s new book of poetry titled Vampire Squid. 

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. We want to say a huge thank you to those patrons who have already pledged to support us:

Lain Null, Семен Приймаченко, Prof.Bob-o-lo-po-lis, Jamie Morgan, Brent S, Ayla

Check out our podcast merch here!

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:

[email protected]

We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone!

https://www.speakpipe.com/deepseapodvoicemail

Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

BlueSky: @deepseapod.com

Twitter: @DeepSeaPod

Instagram: @deepsea_podcast

Alan - @Hadalbloke

Thom - @ThomLinley 

Thom - @thom.linley 

Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions

Thom @thomaslinley.com

 Alan @hadalbloke

Image credit:

Image credit

Logo image: Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons